Cortez Bank Marine ForecastSan Diego Offshore
Updated Tue Oct 20, 2026
Caution: only Thursday is workable, with timing care
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Marine Forecast for Cortez Bank Oct 20–22, 2026
📋 Caution: only Thursday is workable, with timing care
NO-GO. Large 6-7.5 ft west seas at 10-11 second periods all day. Winds ease to 6-8 kt west by afternoon, but there is no window long enough for a 12-hour trip.
NO-GO. 6-6.6 ft west swell at 11-12 second periods all day, plus 87% chance of rain around midday. No time works for a 12-hour trip.
CAUTION. Southwest swell crossing northwest wind-wave gives a confused cross-sea and awkward motion all day. Best winds 4:00 AM to noon, building to 14 kt northwest in the afternoon.
Tuesday and Wednesday are NO-GO because of large 6-7.5 ft west swell at 10-12 second periods and, on Wednesday, heavy rain, so no time works for a 12-hour trip. Thursday is CAUTION: winds stay light to moderate from the northwest, but a confused cross-sea of southwest swell and northwest wind-wave persists all day. Model confidence is high (88-91%) across all three days.
Recent days at Cortez Bank
Today’s Water at Cortez Bank
Sea surface temperature and chlorophyll around Cortez Bank, imaged fresh every morning. Water at the star is 68.4°F today, and chlorophyll of 0.19 mg/m³ reads as blue-green transition water at the spot.
Imagery: Oct 20, 2026 · rebuilt every morning
These charts show you the breaks. DeepCast reads them. A zone-by-zone AI fishing report for these exact waters — temperature edges, color changes, and structure, analyzed together.
Get the AI fishing reportSST and chlorophyll from the SeaLegs AI DeepCast satellite pipeline. Charts are a planning aid — always check the official marine forecast before making the run.
About Cortez Bank
Cortez Bank is the serious end of San Diego offshore water — a remote, shallow seamount about 100 miles off San Diego, known for world-class fishing and the giant open-ocean swell that breaks at Bishop Rock. It is fully exposed: no island lee, no shelter, and swell that arrives with its full Pacific fetch intact. A careful read of swell height and period is essential before committing to the crossing.
The outlook below updates every morning from the latest marine model data, with a plain GO / CAUTION / NO-GO call for each day — the same AI rating used in the SeaLegs AI app.
Reading conditions at Cortez Bank
Long-period Pacific swell is the defining variable out here. The same 5-foot reading can be a well-organized 13-second swell that a sportfisher rides comfortably — or a shorter, wind-driven sea that makes the whole crossing a grind. Read the period next to the height on every day card above, and watch for the afternoon westerly reinforcement that often stiffens the ride home.
Because the bank is shallow water standing in deep ocean, swell energy focuses over it — conditions on the bank itself can be rougher than the open-water forecast either side of it. Build margin into the plan: the best Cortez days in the outlook are the ones where wind stays light through the full window, not just the morning.
Cortez Bank forecast FAQ
How is the sea at Cortez Bank today?
As of Oct 20, 2026, the SeaLegs AI verdict for Cortez Bank is NO-GO. NO-GO for a 12-hour trip. Winds are manageable at 13 kt northwest early, easing to 6-8 kt west by afternoon, but seas are the problem: 7.5 ft from the west at 10-11 second periods overnight and through early afternoon, still 5.6-6.1 ft from the west-southwest into the evening. Conditions ease slightly after 2:00 PM, but there is no settled stretch long enough for a 12-hour trip, so treat that only as a brief lull and not a time to go. Forecast confidence is high at 91%.
How far is Cortez Bank from San Diego?
Cortez Bank lies about 100 miles off San Diego — a genuine open-ocean crossing with no shelter along the way, which is why the multi-day outlook matters more here than for nearshore trips.
How often is this San Diego offshore forecast updated?
The forecast on this page is rebuilt every morning from the latest marine model data, and the SpotCast card refreshes live in your browser. The date stamp above the outlook shows when it was last generated.
What do GO, CAUTION, and NO-GO mean?
GO means conditions are favorable for most recreational offshore boats. CAUTION means marginal — pay close attention to swell period and the evening wind trend before committing to the crossing. NO-GO means conditions are hazardous for small craft and the trip is best postponed.
Can I get a forecast like this for my own spot?
Yes. In the free SeaLegs AI app you can drop a pin anywhere — the 9-Mile Bank, the Coronados, or your own waypoint — and get the same AI-rated marine forecast, plus fishing reports and trip planning.
What is the water temperature at Cortez Bank today?
As of Oct 20, 2026, the satellite-derived sea surface temperature at Cortez Bank is about 68.4°F, with chlorophyll around 0.19 mg/m³ (blue-green transition water). The SST and chlorophyll charts on this page are rebuilt every morning from the SeaLegs AI DeepCast satellite pipeline.
More offshore forecasts
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